IBM, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Cleveland Clinic performed the first quantum computations of a fusion energy material. The team calculated nine molecular configurations of FLiBe, a molten salt used to produce and extract tritium fuel.
This research addresses the tritium supply bottleneck, a primary obstacle to developing clean fusion energy. The project is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission to accelerate scientific discovery.
The achievement demonstrates the capability of quantum-centric supercomputing to solve problems beyond the reach of classical computers. IBM shares rose slightly in premarket trading following the announcement.